Tool bracket for storing tool bits

ABSTRACT

A tool bracket for storing tool bits has a base ( 10 ) and a rack ( 20 ) pivotally mounted inside the base ( 10 ) by two pivot pins ( 26 ) with nubs and two pivot holes ( 12 ) with detents. The rack ( 20 ) has multiple compartments ( 22 ) to individually store the tool bits to keep the tool bits in order. The base ( 10 ) further has multiple positioning devices to insert into the rack ( 20 ) to hold the tool bits when the rack ( 20 ) is pivoted completely inside the base ( 10 ). Additionally, the pivot pins ( 26 ) and holes ( 12 ) can hold the rack ( 20 ) steady at a desired angle. Thereby, the rack ( 20 ) can be tilted by pulling the rack ( 20 ) outward to release and conveniently remove tool bits from the base ( 10 ).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a tool bracket, and more particularly to a tool bracket for storing tool bits, which makes carrying, inserting, selecting and removing tool bits convenient.

2. Description of Related Art

With reference to FIG. 9, a conventional toolbox for storing tools for general use is well known and typically includes a base in the form of an open-top box (60) and a lid (70) pivotally attached to the box (60). The lid (70) has a clip (not shown) or other means to hold the lid (70) shut. The conventional toolbox typically has multiple compartments (80) to hold various tools and components, such as tool bits.

However, the conventional toolbox does not have features to efficiently arrange the various tools. A person cannot conveniently select or remove appropriate tool bits from the toolbox. When tool bits are stored in compartments in the conventional toolbox and are needed for various tools, finding a particular tool bit among many similar tool bits is difficult.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate or obviate the disadvantages of storing tool bits in conventional toolboxes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main objective of the present invention is to provide a tool bracket for storing tool bits that makes carrying, selecting or removing tool bits convenient.

Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of a tool bracket for storing tool bits in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the tool bracket in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an operational perspective view of the tool bracket in FIG. 1 with multiple tool bits in the tool bracket;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged operational cross-sectional side plan view of the tool bracket in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of the tool bracket in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the tool bracket in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged operational cross-sectional side plan view of the tool bracket in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an operational cross-sectional side plane view of the tool bracket in FIG. 6; and

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional toolbox in accordance with the prior art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A tool bracket for storing tool bits in accordance with the present invention comprises a rectangular base with a cavity, a back, an open top, multiple positioning devices and a rack. The positioning devices are mounted on the back to separate the tool bits, and the rack is attached pivotally to the base inside the cavity. The rack has multiple compartments to accommodate tool bits individually so a user can conveniently select or remove a desired tool bit.

With reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, a first preferred embodiment of a tool bracket for storing tool bits in accordance with the present invention comprises a base (10) and a rack (20) pivotally mounted on the base (10).

The base (10) is rectangular and has an open top (not numbered), a bottom (not numbered), two opposite sides (not numbered), a back (not numbered), an open front (not numbered), two pivot holes (12) and multiple optional positioning studs (14). The open top, bottom, two opposite sides, back and open front define a cavity (not numbered) inside the base (10). The pivot holes (12) are defined respectively in the two opposite sides near the bottom. Each pivot hole (12) has an inner surface and multiple detents (not numbered) formed on the inner surface. The positioning studs (14) are formed on the back and extend forward into the cavity.

The rack (20) is a rectangular body shaped to correspond to the cavity and has a top (not numbered), a bottom (not numbered), a front face (not numbered), a rear face (not numbered), two sidewalls (not numbered), multiple compartments (22), an elongated opening (24), two optional pivot pins (26) and an optional guard strip (28). The elongated opening (24) is defined through the rack (20) from the rear face to the front face between the two sidewalls to allow the positioning studs (14) to penetrate the rack (20) when the rack (20) is pivoted completely into the base (10). The multiple compartments (22) are hexagonal retaining holes formed on the front face near the top of the rack (20) above the elongated opening (24) and respectively hold tool bits (30). The two pivot pins (26) are formed respectively on and extend respectively out from the two sidewalls near the bottom of the rack (20) to engage the two pivot holes (12) so that the rack (20) pivots in the cavity of the base (10). Each pivot pin (26) has an outer surface and multiple nubs (not numbered) formed on the outer surface to engage the multiple detents in the pivot holes (12) to hold the rack (20) in position relative to the base (10). The guard strip (28) has multiple recesses (282) facing inward and is formed between the sidewalls on the front face below the elongated opening (24). The recesses (282) correspond respectively to and align respectively with the multiple compartments (22) and hold lower portions of the tool bits (30).

Tool bits (30) stored in the rack (20) that is pivoted into the base (10) respectively have proximal ends (not numbered) and necks (not numbered) formed respectively around the tool bits (30) near the proximal ends. The positioning studs (14) penetrate the elongated opening (24) between adjacent tool bits (30) in the area of the necks of adjacent tool bits (30). Thereby, the tool bits (30) are held in the rack (20) by the positioning studs (14) that keep the tool bits (30) from sliding out of the open top of the base (10).

With further reference to FIG. 4, the necks of the tool bits (30) disengage from the positioning studs (14) when the rack (20) is pivoted out. The rack (20) is held in position by the nubs on the pivot pins (26) being rotated to different detents in the pivot holes (12). When the top of the rack (20) with the tool bits (30) is tilted outward and the tool bits (30) are not held by the positioning studs (14), a person can conveniently select and remove the desired tool bit (30). Additionally, the tool bits can be displayed by laying the base (10) on a flat surface so the rack (20) is upright and the tool bits (30) extend upward for display.

With further reference to FIGS. 5 to 8, a second embodiment of the tool bracket in accordance with the present invention has a base (10 a) and a rack (20 a) pivotally mounted inside the base (10 a).

The base (10 a) has a structure similar to the first preferred embodiment except the base (10 a) of the second embodiment has a positioning U-holder (14 a) instead of the positioning studs (14 a) in the first embodiment. Each positioning U-holder (14 a) has two arms (not numbered). When the rack (20 a) is pivoted completely into the base (10 a), the arms of the positioning U-holder (14 a) clamp two sides of a tool bit in the area of the neck.

The rack (20 a) is a rectangular case and has a top (not numbered), a bottom (not numbered), two sidewalls (not numbered), a front (not numbered), a rear (not numbered), two pivot pins (26 a), multiple compartments (22 a), multiple optional circular accesses (21 a), multiple rectangular openings (24 a) and two optional tabs (23 a). The two pivot pins (26 a) are formed respectively on the two sidewalls near the bottom of the rack (20 a) to engage the two pivot holes (12 a) so that the rack (20 a) will pivot in the cavity in the base (10 a). The compartments (22 a) are defined inside the rack (20 a), and the circular accesses (21 a) are formed on the top of the rack (20 a) and communicate respectively with the compartments (22 a) to hold multiple tool bits (30) inside the rack (20 a). The multiple openings (24 a) are defined in the rear of the rack (20 a) to allow the positioning U-holder (14 a) to pass through the rack (20 a). Preferably, the multiple openings (24 a) are defined in the front of the rack (20 a) so that the user can see the size of the tool bits through the front openings (24 a). Additionally, the optional tabs (23 a) are formed on the top of the rack (20 a) in front of the circular accesses (21 a) so the user can conveniently pull the rack (20 a) outward by the tabs (23 a).

By placing the tool bits (30) individually in the rack (20, 20 a), the tool bits (30) are arranged orderly in the tool bracket and can be selectively displayed so a desired tool bit (30) can be removed when the rack (20, 20 a) tilts outward.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. 

1. A tool bracket for storing tool bits, the tool bracket comprising: a base (10) having an open top, a bottom, two opposite sides, a back and an open front to define a cavity inside the base (10) and having at least one positioning device (14) formed on the back of the base (10); and a rack (20) pivotally mounted inside the cavity in the base (10) having a top, a bottom, a front face, a rear face, two sidewalls and multiple compartments (22) formed in the rack (20), wherein the rack (20) has at least one opening defined in the rear of the base (10) to allow the positioning device (14) passing through.
 2. The tool bracket for storing tool bits as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base (10) has two pivot holes (12) defined respectively in the two opposite sides near the bottom, each of the two pivot holes (12) has an inner surface and multiple detents defined on the inner surface; and the rack (20) has two pivot pins (26) formed respectively in the two sidewalls to respectively engage the pivot holes (12), wherein each of the two pivot pins (26) has an outer surface and multiple nubs formed on the outer surface to engage the multiple detents to hold the rack (20) in place.
 3. The tool bracket as claimed in claim 2, wherein the positioning devices are multiple positioning studs (14) extending from the back inside the cavity; the rack (20) has one elongated opening (24) defined between the two sidewalls through the rack (20) from the rear face to the front face to allow the multiple positioning studs (14) to penetrate the rack (20).
 4. The tool bracket as claimed in claim 3, wherein the multiple compartments (22) are hexagonal retaining holes formed in the front face near the top of the rack (20) above the elongated opening (24).
 5. The tool bracket as claimed in claim 4, wherein a guard strip (28) with multiple recesses (282) facing inward is formed on the front face below the open slot (24), and the recesses (282) align respectively with the hexagonal retaining holes.
 6. The tool bracket as claimed in claim 1, wherein the positioning device are multiple positioning U-holders (14 a) and adapted to hold one tool bit inside each one of the multiple positioning U-holders (14 a); and the rack (20 a) has multiple openings (24 a) defined in the rear of the rack (20 a) to allow the multiple positioning U-holders (14 a) to pass individually through the rack (20 a).
 7. The tool bracket as claimed in claim 6, wherein the rack (20 a) is a rectangular case, and the multiple compartments (22 a) are defined in the rack (20 a); multiple circular accesses (21 a) are formed on the top of the rack (20 a) to communicate respectively with the compartments (22 a) inside the rack (20 a).
 8. The tool bracket as claimed in claim 6, wherein two tabs (23 a) are formed on the top of the rack (20 a).
 9. The tool bracket as claimed in claim 7, wherein two tabs (23 a) are formed on the top of the rack (20 a) in front of the circular accesses (21 a). 